If Cats Could Talk - Christmas

“Wake up, Willie! Wake up!” cried out Casey. “You have to see what the Breakfast Lady and the Candy Man are doing.”

“Did you have to wake me up? I was right in the middle of a good dream where I was chasing Dolly and I was just about to catch her when you woke me up. This better be good. What are they doing?”

Casey hopped down from his perch on the chair and said, “I think they are putting up that big old Christmas tree they store in the garage.”

“Oh, big deal! You woke me up for that? When they are finished and put some packages under the tree, then wake me up and let me know. The Candy Man doesn’t like any of us interfering when he begins a project.” With that proclamation Willie went back to sleep.

“Grumpy old cat,” mumbled Casey. “That’s the last time I’ll ever alert him to something exciting and potentially mischievous.”

Dolly came running into the room, calling out, “What about a tree? Where’s the tree? Oh, yeah! There’s the Christmas tree. Wow! Doesn’t that look good! See all those Christmas balls? Are you going to knock off some of them like you did last year so we can play with them?”

“Of course,” replied Casey, “but this year I’m going to wait till the humans are asleep. I didn’t like that isolation treatment I got last year. Sheesh! So a couple of them broke. Big deal! They got so many of them, what’s a broken one here or there!”

“I like to play with the tinsel,” said Dolly. “It’s just like string.”

“Yeah, but do me a favor. Don’t try to eat the tinsel. It isn’t good for you.”

“Don’t I know it!” exclaimed Dolly. “Do you remember the Gingerbread House we devoured last year?”

“How can I forget that! I ate so much I was sick for a week. You gorged yourself on it and it didn’t bother you at all. I don’t know how you can do it, Dolly. You eat a ton of stuff like that and you’re fine. I eat a little, get sick, and they blame me for the whole thing.”

“I love Christmas time,” mused Dolly. “All that good food and then the wrapping paper and the boxes. Isn’t it nice of them to leave all that good stuff for us to play with?”

“The only thing wrong with Christmas,” said Casey, is that their grandkids come by to open all their presents and then they chase us around like we’re a bunch of teenage kittens. How come they get all the toys and all we get is some cruddy little toy mouse. Not even a live one. For once I’d like to see the Candy Man hand out a real live mouse instead of those itty bitty treats.”

“Hah! You haven’t seen a real live mouse in so long you wouldn’t know what to do with it!” said a haughty Dolly.

“I would too,” Casey retorted.

“What’s the big fuss about?” asked Cruiser as he ambled into the room. “Oh, my! Look at that tree. Pretty, isn’t it?”

“Casey was just wondering about the Christmas presents,” said Dolly. “The grandkids get all the presents and all we get is a toy mouse….and that’s if we’re lucky.”

“You have to remember something,” suggested Cruiser. “Christmas is all about humans. Little humans. It’s about the birth of a little baby and giving presents to the little baby. It doesn’t have anything to do with cats.”

“I’ve heard that story too,” said Dolly reflectively. “It was a special baby. I’ve often wondered if the baby grew up and had a cat to love.”

“From what I’ve heard,” said Cruiser with a wise look, “He loved all animals. Large and small. Even dogs.”

“Even dogs?” queried Casey. “Well, to each his own. But if it’s true that He loved all animals, what about rats and mice?”

Cruiser had to sit and think about that. “Gee, I guess if He loved all animals He had to love rats and mice as well.”

“Eeeewww!” squealed Dolly. “How could anyone love rats and mice? Well, mice are no big deal, but rats! And so humans give presents to little children just because He loved rats and mice? I can’t figure humans out, can you?”

“Let’s see what we get this year,” suggested Casey. “If He loved all animals, shouldn’t we get some special treats from the humans? I think I’d like one of those red balls on the tree to play with.”

“And I’d like a whole dish of fresh tuna just for myself,” said Dolly licking her lips.

“It’s not the getting that’s important,” said Cruiser. “This is a time for giving.”

Dolly huffed and said, “Okay, Smarty, so what do we have to give?”

"The most important thing we have to give,” answered Cruiser, “is our love.”

Dolly paused and then said very softly, “Cruiser, I think you must have been one of the Wise Men. Of course! After all, love is the best gift any one can give. It must be the greatest gift of all.” She smiled sweetly and said, “Merry Christmas, Cruiser.”